ANH TE build

[CableGuy[TK]]

It’s believe that the photo from

outside Shepperton Design Studios (that you posted above) was prior to the actual studios making changes to the helmets. Those mic tips were likely replaced by the studio for something a little better.

 

For hero helmets, the inside wall were actually black, as was the metal mesh. The “nipple” at the back was white.

 

For some outstanding background information and images, check out http://www.starwarshelmets.com/original-ANH-hero-Stormtrooper-armor-helmets.htm

 

StarWarsHelmets.com was one of my most visited websites in my early days. It is JAM PACKED with information, most of which is well researched and accurate.

 

Also, the FISD gallery is a truly wonderful resource. https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/gallery/category/19-ottk-reference/

 

Here are some Hero helmets for reference;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To my knowledge, the “white” on the rims and outside of the hovi-tips is NOT white paint. The hovi-tips are originally white (or close to it) and we’re then painted black. The areas of white are where the black paint has been scratched or rubbed off due to wear and tear.

 

So, I’m my opinion, the best way to recreate this is to have a white hovi tip, paint it black, then gently weather the piece to reveal subtle amounts of the white beneath.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Hero helmets where made separately from the original ANH helmets (a few weeks later). Apart from the amount of teeth cut out, there is also the ear bumps with only 3 of those, only 2 screws on the ears, bubble lenses, lower brow trim and of course the mic tips.

 

The company's original receipts show that in total Andrew Ainsworth at Shepperton Design Studios (SDS) fabricated fifty-six Stormtrooper helmets, twelve Imperial Forces' helmets, twelve Imperial Fighter Pilots' helmets and twenty X-Wing Fighter Pilots' helmets. For the Stormtrooper Helmets, an initial run of 50 "Stunt" helmets were made from a Khaki-coloured HDPE material, which was subsequently painted white. Following this 6 "Hero"  helmets were made for close up work out of white ABS (i.e. no need to paint) and these were the helmets worn by the Luke and Han characters when in Stormtrooper Armor

 

Details on helmets such as the Stormtrooper�s, were made from whatever they could lay their hands on. The mic tips have the words "HOVI MIX pa2" written on the side of them. Even now its not clear whether these were actually rheostat knobs (possibly military?), air inlet valves or microphone condenser tips. Note its possible some of the helmets had the real mic tips, however the majority of the Stunt helmets had resin casts of them.

 

An interesting read on hovi tips, unfortunately a very old thread and a lot of links and photos are missing but an interesting read

 

[Sly11[Admin]]

There is also the passage from the book Storm troopers Beyond the Armor, from set decorator Roger Christian as follows.

He is discussing the communicator that 3PO used and how he created it.

 

"I was in the production design office showing him some plumbing units that he could design into a set. A call came from the floor, from George he says 'I need a communicator, NOW!'

" I undid a pipe, and out fell a filter. And I looked at it and saw it had a little grid on the end, and I went, "OH MY GOD" I ran to my room, stuck one little ring around it, ran to the floor, and put it in Georges hand, and he said, 'Perfect'".

So there is a few different sources and members of production that discuss the volume of plumbing parts used that lends credence to the fact these tips were indeed part of plumbing accessories.

 

 

 

[Mad Cow Rebel]

OK I scrapped off the drips while they were still soft and started sanding away. 

I did an initial rough pass with 80 grit sanded wet. It actually gives the helmet an interesting layered "Boba Fett" style weathering look that I may use on other projects in the future.




More to come soon. My TrooperBay order is ETA this week or early next so I'll keep sanding and (CAREFULLY this time) repaint this bucket

[Mad Cow Rebel]

mail call:

Trooper Bay box arrived

I now have everything I need to finish this helmet to reasonable status. I've already started on the mic tips:


(I know in this photo the white "wear" on the rims is a bit large. I have since fixed that)

In the "restoration" department, things are going smoothly enough. After more sanding and a few shots of first, gray etching primer, followed by wet sanding, and then basic white, the patterns created from sanding as well as any evidence of my dripping disaster are all but vanished.



So to quote the big boss -"everything is proceeding as I have foreseen"      ...so far  

Once the primer is dry a quick wipe with super fine steel wool (or even a shop rag) to clean off the overspray and then it's time for round 2 of fake HDPE paint followed by the industrial oil paint through the spray gun CAREFULLY this time

Stay tuned...

Edited December 8, 2020 by Mad Cow Rebel

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking good

[Sly11[Admin]]

5 hours ago, Mad Cow Rebel said:

mail call:

Trooper Bay box arrived

I now have everything I need to finish this helmet to reasonable status. I've already started on the mic tips:


(I know in this photo the white "wear" on the rims is a bit large. I have since fixed that)

In the "restoration" department, things are going smoothly enough. After more sanding and a few shots of first, gray etching primer, followed by wet sanding, and then basic white, the patterns created from sanding as well as any evidence of my dripping disaster are all but vanished.



So to quote the big boss -"everything is proceeding as I have foreseen"      ...so far  

Once the primer is dry a quick wipe with super fine steel wool (or even a shop rag) to clean off the overspray and then it's time for round 2 of fake HDPE paint followed by the industrial oil paint through the spray gun CAREFULLY this time

Stay tuned...

Good luck Avery, I think this will look very authentic when finished so dont be concerned with a few paint runs as it will add to the realism considering these were painted originally

[Mad Cow Rebel]

56 minutes ago, Sly11 said:

Good luck Avery, I think this will look very authentic when finished so dont be concerned with a few paint runs as it will add to the realism considering these were painted originally

Thanks, I'm not concerned about a few runs (I actually would like a few) it's just that what happened last time was far too much

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Back to HDPE: 

 

 

The next post will be the final white. 

Here I go

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Success!

 

As you can see I've started the hand painting. I'm a little rusty but I think I can pull it off with minimal touch ups

 

We're back on track

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Thanks, In the above photo you can see an issue with the frown (the gray bleed between teeth) that has been fixed

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Some further progress:

 

Tube stripes on

 

 

 

Not going to win any shows but I did these better than my first bucket so I'm happy

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

As long as you are happy that's all that counts. They could have been spaced a little wider apart to meet up to the ears, you have a bit of a gap there.

 

[Mad Cow Rebel]

yes I did the right side better. Like I said not going to win any shows but I've re worked a lot on this helmet and I don't want to risk ruining it again. This is actually the second time I've done the tube stripes on this one. I sanding the first set down and resprayed before  doing the above

[Mad Cow Rebel]

DA Props kits in!

I have to say that was very fast shipping from France to Canada.


Unfortunately that's all that was better than expected with these. Let me explain:

First thing I noticed was that the ABS colour was slightly yellowed compared to my TE kit. This and the fact that there was what looked like black overspray from spray painting on the underside and dirt, hair etc on the inside of the faceplate makes me think this plastic has been sitting around in a shop for a long time.

Upon further inspection I noticed that, especially on the hero kit, there were deformations in the ABS pulls from bubbled up areas to indents to a damaged and sunken tooth as well as an extra tooth on the hero!

 

Moving on to the resin parts I found a few bubbles (not a huge deal) and a gaping hole in one of the Hovi tips!

that, followed by the wrong size of S trim, look at this compared to brow trim It's huge and does not fit like it should at all.


and then the bubble lenses softly molded out off very thick, very brittle green plastic


Overall I feel disappointed and the experience of going through everything felt like I bought some recast ebay kits. I expected much better quality from DA props 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Unfortunate but some makers are just a little better than others in regards to details, what you have will still work but I guess it comes down to price in the end.

[Mad Cow Rebel]

I would not pay the full price for this. I'm glad I got it for nearly half price considering the quality. 

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Plowing through

Over the last week I've been making the best of a less than ideal situation (should sound familiar this year) I've improvised.

I built up the DA stunt kit for a friend of mine - he wanted it dirtied up RO style and covered the cost of the kit; I didn't charge him for anything else. My payment was experience. 

I know that ear job is hideous but I did better on the right side. This 2mm abs is not the easiest to work with but regardless I am improving if slowly. 

After that I set out to work on the DA Hero helmet as I was in a helmet mode. 

The lenses suck. There is no way around it (It was like looking through a chunk of thick ice) so I cut them out, painted the back of them black (as they should be) and had resigned myself to having it a pure display piece as now I could see literally nothing through them.

That was until I remembered I had built a small vacuum former a few years ago. 

Using the DA lenses as bucks, I vac formed a set of new lenses and they work very well (I can see well enough to actually walk now).


 

All that's left to do is tint them using a synthetic dye and I'm golden.

 

Now, On to the rest of that Hero helmet.
 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Mad Cow Rebel

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Ok the Hero is really shaping up


The only real problem I'm having (as usual) is fitting the ears!

 

I'm not sure what exactly I'm doing wrong but any advice is welcome

[Mad Cow Rebel]

After looking at the photos I took of them, I went back and fixed the ears to the best of my ability



I'm really loving the look of this one so far

[Mad Cow Rebel]

I've started on the armour!

I'm following the RS Props tutorial series on their youtube channel 

 

The arms were the first done. If I've done anything wrong please let me know





Merry Christmas as well!

[PhilBobTheFish]

On 12/25/2020 at 1:32 PM, Mad Cow Rebel said:

 

 

How's this build been going? It may be late, but on your left bicep you should trim the coverstrip so that it doesn't extend over the edge of the armor (the bottom of the front coverstrip)

[Mad Cow Rebel]

Hey Phill, thanks for the tip

 

I've decided to take this kit the TD route which is why I haven't posted anymore updates here.

 

I'm currently trying to find more info on how exactly original ANH armour was strapped as it seems most everyone does it the ESB "clam shell" way.

 

If you have any more helpful info please let me know